The received wisdom that publishing observes a universal Christmas hiatus is increasingly obsolete.

While Western publishing houses wind down for the festive season, India’s book trade powers forward. The Visakha Book Festival, running 27 December 2025–2 January 2026 in Visakhapatnam, exemplifies how regional markets worldwide transform the traditional publishing calendar into a 365-day cycle.

A Counter-Cyclical Market Opportunity

Organised by the Vijayawada Book Festival Society, this seven-day event will showcase over 100,000 titles from more than 100 publishers at the Exhibition Grounds behind Andhra University Convention Centre. Former MLC M.V.S. Sarma, unveiling the festival poster, highlighted Visakhapatnam’s status as a major reading centre – particularly significant in the North Andhra region, described by society secretary K. Laxmaiah as a “heartland of literature.”

The Global Publishing Reality

The received wisdom that publishing observes a universal Christmas hiatus is increasingly obsolete. While London and New York editorial offices empty, markets across Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America accelerate.

India’s publishing sector, valued at over $8 billion with annual growth exceeding 12%, operates on its own cultural calendar. Regional language titles – Telugu, Hindi, Tamil – dominate sales, with festivals like Visakha providing crucial retail channels beyond metropolitan centres.

The View From The Beach

For publishers, this represents inventory-clearance potential and new-title launches timed for non-Western peak seasons. The festival’s emphasis on “world-class books” alongside regional literature signals demand for both international and local content.

With improving literacy rates and growing disposable incomes, such events offer foreign rights managers and distribution partners direct access to engaged readerships.

The Visakha Book Festival reminds us that publishing opportunity knows no holiday. As K. Laxmaiah notes, these festivals should proliferate across all district centres – evidence that the future of publishing lies not in seasonal slowdowns, but in embracing diverse, year-round global markets.

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsletter.